Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. New York: Penguin Group, 1982.
Brown University. The Decameron Web. Andre del Castagno, Boccaccio, c. 1450. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/dweb.shtml (8 June 1999).
Novella definition
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novella
Black Plague
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Black_Plague.pdf
Map site
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=675
population map
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_91-96/934_population_growth.html
book and boccoccio
http://webpage.pace.edu/erichie/group8/Webpage.html
Domestic Violence Hotline
http://www.ndvh.org/
King James Bible
Sermon on Anger
http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/top/anger.htm
Background
Giovanni Boccaccio, a fourteenth century Italian author from the City of Florence, penned a compilation of 100 novellas entitled The Decameron. These allegorical stories are a collection of complex tales shared by a group of seven women and three men, over a ten-day period, as a way of amusing themselves in order to keep from focusing on the devastation taking place around them at that time.
These novellas were written between 1350 to 1353 during one of the most overwhelming epidemics of all time, The Black Plague (a/k/a The Black Death). This epedemic, caused by rats and their fleas, spread across Europe killing both humans and animals in vast numbers. So aggressive was the pestilence that merely breathing the same air, or touching the body or the clothing, of an afflicted person would claim another victim. People avoided being around those that were sick which led to their living in fear of their impending demise, their abandonment of one another, lawlessness, and to a City strewn with decaying bodies at every turn.
Spread of the Epidemic
Bodies inflicted with the plague
Boccaccio paints a detailed picture of the ravages of the plague on individuals, as well as on civilization as a whole. The aftermath of this disease was so horrific that, not only did it bring about extraordinary loss of life, but in turn caused the destruction of established religion, economy, government, and society. Due to the fact that people were living according to their own rules, faith and morality were diminished. Many people chose to follow the old adage “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow ye may die” so extreme behaviors were without restraint. Given the climate of the times, the narrators of the stories contained in The Decameron shared their tales without fear of moral judgment. Therefore, many stories are based on attaining pleasure through lust, sex, and fortune.
Fourth Story, Third Day
The Decameron’s Fourth Story on the Third Day relates a tale encompassing elements of fortune, love, lust, deception, betrayal, anger, jealousy, and their repercussions.
This story centers around three sisters (Ninette, Madeleine, and Bertelle) and their lovers. Ninette and Rastagnon, a poor aristocrat, were in love and secretly carried on a sexual affair. Motivated by his burning desire to be with Ninette, Rastagnon approached the wealthy lovers of Ninette’s two sisters with a plan for all to escape to a place where they could live in luxury and revel in pleasure without restraint.
Foulques (lover of Madeline) and Hugues (lover of Bertelle), pooled their resources with those taken by the sisters from their father’s riches and all three couples traveled to Crete where “they lived as barons” [019] and reveled in their merry-making.
Being free to have sexual relations and cavort with Ninette without limitation, Restagnon became bored with her. The narrator of this story explains that “however delightsome a thing may be, superabundance thereof will breed disgust” [020]. In other words, too much of a good thing is a bad thing or, for example, too much honey can make you sick. Restagnon’s boredom caused him to turn his affections to another woman bringing jealous Ninette to wrath. Unable to be with his new woman, Restagnon burned with lust for her. The text states “the appetite is whetted when fruit is forbidden” [022] which is a metaphor meaning that when something is off limits, that limitation fuels the flame of desire--as it did originally between Restagnon and Ninette when it was difficult for them to be with each other and it was necessary for them to have a secretive affair—their absence from one another caused their lust for one another to consume them. Remember, Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden? It was because Eve was told she could not touch the fruit of that tree that the thought of obtaining it became so desirous and sweet.
The story goes on to warn that anger “burns more fiercely” in a women than in a man because a woman can be easily consumed by it. An example of this is how Ninette brings to life that saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” . Ninette becomes so embittered and consumed by hate and rage for Restagnon's betrayal of her that she unleashes her wrath and takes revenge by fatally poisoning him. Ninette is eventually arrested for her crime and is destined to suffer severe punishment for her actions. In a turn of events, Ninette's release from prison is secured by her sister Madeline’s exchange of sexual favors for the Duke of Crete who holds Ninette’s fate in his hands.
Upon Foulques’ learning that Ninette’s release was accomplished by Madeline’s infidelity, he becomes so enraged that he murders Madeline. So as not to be blamed for her death, he abandons her body and flees telling no one. Foulques then goes to Ninette and deceives her and convinces her that Madeline has sent him to take her into hiding for her safety. Foulques only has enough time to take a small amount of money with him. Ninette, unbeknownst that Madeline has been killed, goes with Folques and they are not heard of again.
When Madeline’s body is discovered by the authorities, the third sister Bertelle, and her lover, Hugues, are arrested for the murder. After gathering all of the riches they had stored, Bertelle and Hugues bribed their guards in order to escape. Bertelle and Hugues fled the land empty-handed and lived in poverty and misery.
The lives and stations of these characters were changed forever by the foolishness of Restagnon's lust and Ninette's uncontrollable anger and wrath.
This story centers around three sisters (Ninette, Madeleine, and Bertelle) and their lovers. Ninette and Rastagnon, a poor aristocrat, were in love and secretly carried on a sexual affair. Motivated by his burning desire to be with Ninette, Rastagnon approached the wealthy lovers of Ninette’s two sisters with a plan for all to escape to a place where they could live in luxury and revel in pleasure without restraint.
Foulques (lover of Madeline) and Hugues (lover of Bertelle), pooled their resources with those taken by the sisters from their father’s riches and all three couples traveled to Crete where “they lived as barons” [019] and reveled in their merry-making.
Being free to have sexual relations and cavort with Ninette without limitation, Restagnon became bored with her. The narrator of this story explains that “however delightsome a thing may be, superabundance thereof will breed disgust” [020]. In other words, too much of a good thing is a bad thing or, for example, too much honey can make you sick. Restagnon’s boredom caused him to turn his affections to another woman bringing jealous Ninette to wrath. Unable to be with his new woman, Restagnon burned with lust for her. The text states “the appetite is whetted when fruit is forbidden” [022] which is a metaphor meaning that when something is off limits, that limitation fuels the flame of desire--as it did originally between Restagnon and Ninette when it was difficult for them to be with each other and it was necessary for them to have a secretive affair—their absence from one another caused their lust for one another to consume them. Remember, Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden? It was because Eve was told she could not touch the fruit of that tree that the thought of obtaining it became so desirous and sweet.
The story goes on to warn that anger “burns more fiercely” in a women than in a man because a woman can be easily consumed by it. An example of this is how Ninette brings to life that saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” . Ninette becomes so embittered and consumed by hate and rage for Restagnon's betrayal of her that she unleashes her wrath and takes revenge by fatally poisoning him. Ninette is eventually arrested for her crime and is destined to suffer severe punishment for her actions. In a turn of events, Ninette's release from prison is secured by her sister Madeline’s exchange of sexual favors for the Duke of Crete who holds Ninette’s fate in his hands.
Upon Foulques’ learning that Ninette’s release was accomplished by Madeline’s infidelity, he becomes so enraged that he murders Madeline. So as not to be blamed for her death, he abandons her body and flees telling no one. Foulques then goes to Ninette and deceives her and convinces her that Madeline has sent him to take her into hiding for her safety. Foulques only has enough time to take a small amount of money with him. Ninette, unbeknownst that Madeline has been killed, goes with Folques and they are not heard of again.
When Madeline’s body is discovered by the authorities, the third sister Bertelle, and her lover, Hugues, are arrested for the murder. After gathering all of the riches they had stored, Bertelle and Hugues bribed their guards in order to escape. Bertelle and Hugues fled the land empty-handed and lived in poverty and misery.
The lives and stations of these characters were changed forever by the foolishness of Restagnon's lust and Ninette's uncontrollable anger and wrath.
Summary
The characters in this story lived a wealthy and hedonistic lifestyle at a time when the civilization around them was crumbling. They partied daily by indulging in numerous pleasures from immoral sex to excessive drink. Boccaccio appears to have no problem with the characters sexual freedom as he believes it is human nature, but when deception and betrayal are added into the equation and they are uncovered, the fire of anger is lit. Boccaccio views anger as a dangerous quality with the ability to consume and destroy lives--even more so when it is a woman's anger.
In this story, the domino effect is set off by one event—Ninette’s jealousy and anger concerning Restagnon’s desire for another woman. As anger turns to rage, and rage to wrath, we see how one person’s inability to control her anger affects her life as well as the lives of others to the point of losing their friendships, their fortune, their lifestyle, and in some cases their lives.
In this story, the domino effect is set off by one event—Ninette’s jealousy and anger concerning Restagnon’s desire for another woman. As anger turns to rage, and rage to wrath, we see how one person’s inability to control her anger affects her life as well as the lives of others to the point of losing their friendships, their fortune, their lifestyle, and in some cases their lives.
Relevance Today
Since the fourteenth century, civilization has gone through numerous periods of change. Social views, religious views, business practices, trends have all come and gone and come again. What remains constant are the qualities of human behavior. As demonstrated in The Decameron, lust, sex, deception, and betrayal are always a deadly combination. Domestic violence and crimes of passion can be the result of that behavior since it is possible for simple anger to turn to all-consuming wrath and revenge.
Though not life threatening, an example that comes to mind of one type of "crime of passion" is the storyline of Carrie Underwood’s music video “Before He Cheats”. The betrayal by her cheating boyfriend causes Carrie to take revenge on him and destroy a prized possession -- his truck.
The underlying principle that "unbrideled anger can have detrimental consequences" is as important today as it was in the fourteenth century.
That principle is also set forth throughout the Bible:
Proverbs 14:17 - "He who is quick-tempered acts foolishly";
Ecclesiastes 7:9 - "Do not hasten in your spirit to be anger, for anger rests in the bosom of fools";
Psalms 37:8 - "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm";
Ephesians 4:31-32 - "Anger and wrath are to be replaced by kindness and forgiveness";
Colossians 3:8 -"put off all these: anger, wrath, malice";
James 1:19-20 - "be slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
Though not life threatening, an example that comes to mind of one type of "crime of passion" is the storyline of Carrie Underwood’s music video “Before He Cheats”. The betrayal by her cheating boyfriend causes Carrie to take revenge on him and destroy a prized possession -- his truck.
The underlying principle that "unbrideled anger can have detrimental consequences" is as important today as it was in the fourteenth century.
That principle is also set forth throughout the Bible:
Proverbs 14:17 - "He who is quick-tempered acts foolishly";
Ecclesiastes 7:9 - "Do not hasten in your spirit to be anger, for anger rests in the bosom of fools";
Psalms 37:8 - "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm";
Ephesians 4:31-32 - "Anger and wrath are to be replaced by kindness and forgiveness";
Colossians 3:8 -"put off all these: anger, wrath, malice";
James 1:19-20 - "be slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
Food For Thought
Anger is a strong emotion that everyone experiences because we are human. Many have been brought to anger due to the betrayal of a love interest. The key is to be able to control your anger.
--Have you ever allowed anger to escalate to the point of wrath or revenge and, if so, what consquences came from the event?
--Did those consequences make you regret your actions?
--Did you learn from your mistakes?
--What can you do to prevent yourself from become enraged to the point of acting out to the detriment of yourself or others?
--Have you ever allowed anger to escalate to the point of wrath or revenge and, if so, what consquences came from the event?
--Did those consequences make you regret your actions?
--Did you learn from your mistakes?
--What can you do to prevent yourself from become enraged to the point of acting out to the detriment of yourself or others?
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